[mwilleson]

Hi all,

I'm working on a new carving design and would appreciate comments and additional suggestions for my idea.

Background:
All four of my children have gone to Kindergarten through 8th grade at our church school. I anticipate one of the teachers that has taught all of my children will retire within the next few years. As a token of thanks for all of the time spent with my children I am considering a carving as an eventual retirement gift for her.

Current:
It will be an in the round carving depicting a female teacher and four children to represent my children - three girls and one boy. She teaches 1st through 3rd grade (small multi-grade classrooms). I picture the teacher reading to the four children as lower grade teachers will often do.

Assistance Appreciated:
Where I would like suggestions or comments is how to create the setting. I have pictured the teacher sitting on a stool holding the book while the children are sitting on the floor listening to her. Other ideas are the teacher sitting on the floor reading with the children, or the teacher on the stool with the children in desks (although the thought of carving children sitting in desks seems daunting), etc.

So, if you have ideas on how I can lay out this carving I'd love to hear them.

Mike

[Just Carving]

Hi Mike

Teacher reading to three girls and a boy?

How about this photo for a start?

http://www.bethel.edu/cdc/images/Photos/028-A.JPG


I Googled on images for "teacher reading to children".

It came up with photos for the ideas you mentioned. Hope they give you some "models" to develop your carving.

Hope that helps.

Bob

[Irish]

Mike,

Bob's photo is a great start for your excellent idea. I would consider the teacher on the stool. One student behind her, your tallest child so that their head is about or over her head ... looking over her shoulder. This child could be pointing at the page. The smallest child on her lap as in the photo ... very nice touch. One child knealing on the floor with their hands on her thigh or holding the edge of the book. The last child in front of the teacher, sitting on the floor with their head tilted to one side ... that tilt that little kids get to their heads when they are listening very very hard. Give the sitting child the toy that matches the title of the book that theteacher is carving ... Winnie the Pooh would have an Eore or Tigger stuffed animal.

That type of set-up/composition puts the teacher in the center of a circle created by the children's head. She becomes surrounded by her children.

Going back to Bob's photo ... that the teacher is looking - interacting with the child is also excellent as for a teacher it's the child not the book in their hands that is the focus.

I would love to see the rough drawings!

Susan

[Old_Gord]

Hi mwilleson(Mike), I wish I had a web site to direct you to for this but I don't.
Your theme could be similar to something Neil Cox carved some time ago titled "The Story Teller" .
Best I can do is a pictures I captured some time ago, also I believe it was also featured on the cover of a Chip Chats a few years ago.

.

OG

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

You can do a google search on "Navajo storyteller" as well, you know, when I read your post the first thing that popped in my head was an apple with a smiling worm coming out of it....its been done and I saw it but don't know where....would be perfect for a teacher I think....or maybe as a little added detail to whatever you end up with? Dave

[wade clark]

Mike,
Watching Little House On The Prairie re-runs might give you many ideas!
Sounds like a wonderful gift!
Wade

[Ashbys]

Since this is give an idea,

I had a teacher years ago who took time everyday to read to us. Funny I don't remeber the teachers name , but I remember every book. A Wrinkle in Time and Treasure Island were two of the books.
Anyway the setting was simple, we were to put our heads down on the desk , as she moved to the front of her desk and sat on the edge while she read. If the book had pictures she would turn the book around and show us the pictures.

I would suggest, using the 1930's type desk , where the seat of one would be attached to the desk of the one behind.
I would place the teacher sitting on her desk, with the book pages open and being shown. The youngest across the front bench curled up and asleep. The next older child sitting at the desk with his/her head down, with the oldest and sitting next to him/her leaning forward across the desk to see the picture. The fourth child being in front of the teacher kneeling on the floor looking up at the open book. Very Norman Rockwell, but also very realistic.

Ash

[Old_Gord]

Hey Hi Ho, you weren't thinking about the set of bookends that had the "book" worm protruding from either end were you?
If so I think the pattern was in Chip Chats back about(oops) 2001, have to check to be sure, my memory bank some times goes on vacation right after the first thought pops up..
OOPS it wasn't bookends, it was a large carved tome with a large worm protruding from the book as though it had eaten it's way through it, the title was "Bookworm" and it was Chip Chats, Nov-Dec 2001, pages 54 and 55, would make a nice caricature for a heavy duty reader. .


.
OG

Originally Posted by Hi_Ho_Sliver

You can do a google search on "Navajo storyteller" as well, you know, when I read your post the first thing that popped in my head was an apple with a smiling worm coming out of it....its been done and I saw it but don't know where....would be perfect for a teacher I think....or maybe as a little added detail to whatever you end up with? Dave

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Could be Ol' Gord, seemed like it was an apple, but my memory bank is lacking a balance too! LOL

[Old_Gord]

Yea I seem to remember seeing a carving of an apple with a worm sticking out of it too.
Still like the "Bookworm" though nice play on words for a caricature.

.

OG